Protection for persons who administer vaccination in Australia
A compensation scheme has been launched to protect employers and medical professionals who carry out COVID-19 vaccinations.
Victoria awards public sector staff COVID-19 vaccination leave
The leave covers full-time, part-time, long-term staff and regular casuals at public entities, and grants workers half a day off to get their jabs.
150 occupations facing shortage of workers in Australia
The employment minister has said there are more than 150 occupations facing skill shortages across a range of sectors in the country.
Australia’s annual average full-time wage hits A$90,000
The country’s average annual salary breached the A$90,000 (US$64,191) mark for the first time, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Australia’s unemployment rate falls to 4.6% in July
The country’s unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 4.6% in July month-on-month even amid the lockdown in greater Sydney.
Vaccine mandates in Australia should be decided by employers
Unions and employer groups have generally taken the stance in line with that of the government on vaccine mandates.
Australian firms urged to study impact of staff vaccination incentives
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has cautioned that firms offering staff vaccination incentives could be exposed to compensation claims.
Australia proposes four-tier system for vaccination
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has proposed a system to determine whether mandatory vaccination for employees would be considered reasonable.
Australian companies allowed to collect workers’ vaccination status
Under the guidelines, employers should be able to take the necessary precautions should their workers be unvaccinated.
Employers to exercise discretion on mandating vaccination: Australian PM
The country will not enact special laws to mandate vaccination, but employers can make inoculation compulsory in high-risk environments.
Queensland government urged to look closer into gender inequality
The gender gap persists in more areas other than pay, such as the number of hours worked, highlights QCOSS.
NSW approves two-hour vaccine leave for public workers
Flexible working arrangements are also encouraged so that vaccine appointments can be scheduled for about 400,000 workers employed by the state.
Australia launches training scheme to boost digital skills
The federal government is testing new approaches to design qualifications and training that meet the skills needed for a job in the digital sector.
Australian employer groups call for flexibility in workplace laws
Major employer groups have called for revived powers to reduce workers’ hours, stand staff down and direct people to take annual leave.
Australia’s unemployment rate falls to 4.9% in June
However, underemployment crept up by 0.5% to 7.9% as the economy responded to lockdowns in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.
Australian state offers financial aid to businesses amid lockdown
The New South Wales (NSW) and federal governments have announced a financial assistance package to keep businesses afloat.
Fewer Australians leaving their jobs amid the pandemic
Both men and women are less likely to leave their jobs for family reasons, as they juggled more childcare with work from home commitments.
Australia’s Victoria state trials sick leave for casual workers
Consultation for the trial programme will open this month, and the scheme is slated to start in early 2022.
Australia mulls nationwide workplace vaccination
Large businesses in the private sector are encouraged to come on board to speed up the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Australian unions reject proposal that collects worker vaccination data
Under the proposal, large employers would be able to act as vaccine hubs, granted indemnity to vaccinate staff and collect employees’ vaccination records.
Australia’s NSW new parental leave policy takes effect
Beginning July 1, public sector workers will have access to 14 weeks of paid parental leave in the state of New South Wales.
Australia’s government identifies jobs with future demand
The Skills Priority List, which provides a future demand rating for occupations nationwide, will be used to enact relevant employment policies.
Unions urge New South Wales government to introduce vaccination leave
They also called on the Australian government to provide such leave to casual and contract workers.
Many Australians made jobless at the start of pandemic were under 25
Out of the 592,000 Australians who lost their employment in April 2020, 38% were aged between 15 and 24.
Australian companies struggle to find suitable employees
According to a survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 27% of businesses have difficulty in finding suitable staff.
Employment a key national priority for Reserve Bank of Australia
The Australian central bank is committed to maintaining a monetary policy that will support the country’s employment and inflation goals.
Australia’s NSW state to launch paid miscarriage leave
All New South Wales (NSW) public-sector workers will be entitled to five days of paid leave if they suffer a miscarriage of a child.
Australia’s unemployment falls to 5.1% in May 2021
The number of employed women rose by 69,000, while the number of employed men increased by 46,000.
Australia increases minimum wage by 2.5% to benefit 2.2 million workers
The Fair Wage Commission (FWC) has raised the minimum wage and related award minimum wages by 2.5%.
Many Australian companies unwilling to increase wages
In place of higher wages, companies are instead offering one-off bonuses and flexible working arrangements, says the Reserve Bank of Australia.